About Andrew Huffer

Andrew Huffer has 22 years experience in working with organisations, businesses, managers & communities and at a state, national and international level. Andrew designs and delivers specialist engagement processes, with a focus on facilitating open decision making processes and skill development of clients. He has delivered presentations and workshops at a number of state, national and international conferences.

Comments

They keep saying they’re going to…. I can’t talk about what’s happened before, it’ just that…
If I understand this as meaning “going to… but never starting”
then the push back lines are either (time related)
Were realistic deadlines set?
When deadlines were not met, what was the response?
or (people related)
Can we be specific about who “they” are?
Is it a matter of getting “them” to make their action commitment to someone whom they respect?

Thanks Andrew – great to have a fresh approach to breaking down the ‘absolutes’ into workable pieces. I use this type of reframing to get people to think more creatively and positively:

When people tell me that they don’t have the resources or time to do something, I ask: What can you do with the resources and time that you do have?

When they tell me they couldn’t possibly do something because it is too hard, I ask: If you scale it back, what would a more manageable version look like?

When they tell me something is unrealistic and impossible, I ask them to humour me for a minute and tell me their ‘magic wand’ version – what would they do? That can open creative thinking that in turn, yields possibilities. It also gives them a space to be both playful and frank, allowing them to acknowledge what’s causing them grief – for example, some shonky political or administrative situation.